topic Re: A 1 year wait for dentures? in Community Spirit

A 1 year wait for dentures?

i-need-a-martini — Sun, 26 Jan 2014 23:04:56 GMT

This woman had to wait 17 months which is outrageous. But then the article goes on to say that the wait is NORMALLY 1 year.

I didn't realise this the norm.

I know that the public health system has this weird process whereas they will pay for you to go to a subsidised dentist to have all of your teeth removed if they are unstable or rotting. But surely this can be followed up immediately with replacement dentures?

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-news/apology-for-woman-left-with-no-teeth-for-17-months-20140126-31h44.html

Re: A 1 year wait for dentures?

boris1gary — Sun, 26 Jan 2014 23:14:37 GMT

very normal, it seems that even though teeth play a very important role in a persons general health, they are not considered important by successive govts.

I have heard some real horror stories from people involved in the struggle to get decent dental care for those who can't afford it.

Re: A 1 year wait for dentures?

latina4621 — Sun, 26 Jan 2014 23:15:26 GMT

i was told by the public dentist it would be a minimum of a 10 moth wait

and had to go on the list i had already been waiting aprrox 4 months in the end i went private it cost nearly 1200.00 for the full set which i then had within 3 weeks

Re: A 1 year wait for dentures?

boris1gary — Sun, 26 Jan 2014 23:26:48 GMT

An acquaintance of mine had to have all of her teeth removed, had to wait 14mths for new ones and still had to travel over 100ks 3 days a week to go to her very low paid job, i couldn't imagine having to leave the house at all if i had no teeth. There was nothing she could do about it, centre link told her that if she didn't keep working they would cut her benefit (tiny) and she would not be considered eligible for her new teeth.

Re: A 1 year wait for dentures?

purple_haize — Sun, 26 Jan 2014 23:53:29 GMT

my sister in law had to wait 10 months to be seen at the Melbourne dental hospital, she was on the list, once the 10 months was up they saw her and she had new teeth within a month cost $150.

My husband was on a plan from dr. he had his teeth out and had to wait 4 weeks till his new teeth, think that was cheaper than $150.

I had to go have some teeth removed late last yr. at the local community dental hospital, as I had a problem, they also filled 2 teeth, took 3 xrays, smoothed out two of my back teeth over a period of 7 weeks and cost me the grand total for all of it $25.

The dentist said if I have any more trouble with any of my teeth, just ring up and make an appt.

Going back to the dr/dentist plan, I saw my dr. last week and she was telling me, that now they can put you on plans for most things, so maybe they have brought back the dentist plan.

Re: A 1 year wait for dentures?

boris1gary — Sun, 26 Jan 2014 23:57:51 GMT

Victoria is obviously ahead of NSW when it comes to teeth, I have heard that there are some services in NSW but they only cover some not all who are in need and the wait is horrendously long.

Re: A 1 year wait for dentures?

jean2579 — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 00:04:16 GMT

That is true boris. My OH has been on the waiting list for 6 months now and has great difficulty eating. He can only eat very soft foods. He has been told it will be at least another 6 months before he can even get an appointment for an assessment.

Re: A 1 year wait for dentures?

purple_haize — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 00:05:37 GMT

Boris........do they have Community Dental places in NSW?

Other than the Dental hospital.

Re: A 1 year wait for dentures?

spotweldersfriend — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 00:18:15 GMT

South Australia is good too.I know a woman in NSW who had to wait years for her dentures. Every service in NSW is pathetic compared with Vic & S.A.

Re: A 1 year wait for dentures?

boris1gary — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 00:49:45 GMT

THE FACTS

More than 650,000 people are on the public dental waiting list

35% of Australians say they cannot afford to go to the dentist

The average wait for public dental care is 27 months

The oral health of Australian adults rank second-worst among OECD

NSW

The next bit is from the Combined Pensioners and is a little dated, I really doubt much has changed, especially under the NSW State Govt.

Oral health is one of the greatest areas of health inequity in NSW. People from the lowest

socioeconomic groups have fewer teeth, are more likely to have all of their teeth missing,

have worse subjective oral health, and suffer greater social impact on their quality of life as

a result of oral conditions

. Those in possession of a Government concession card have

poorer health outcomes for most oral health indicators: they are more likely to visit a

dentist for a problem; avoid or delay dental care due to cost; are significantly more likely to

report their oral health as fair or poor, are significantly more likely to report they have

experienced tooth ache in the last twelve months and have the highest tooth extraction

rate

In rural and regional areas waiting times are twice as long as those in metro areas (3.9

weeks and 1.6 weeks respectively),

a significantly lower proportion of adults visit dental

professionals over a twelve month period

and a higher proportion of adults have all of

their natural teeth missing

Within NSW, public dental services are provided to all pre school aged children and full

time students under the age of 18, and to some eligible socioeconomically disadvantaged

groups (eligibility is based on possession of a means-tested health care or pensioner

concession card). This system is chronically underfunded, with the lowest per capita

expenditure on public dental services of all states and territories

and with approximately

147, 000 people currently on public dental waiting lists

Re: A 1 year wait for dentures?

bright.ton42 — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 00:52:35 GMT

In Victoria my local community dental clinic gives you dentures immediately - well a few days taken to make them but you get them very quickly . I've accompanied people who qualify and the clinic is fantastic, state of the art set ups and competent dentists.

I gather that if you go to the main Dental Hospital though there is a long wait.

This clinic costs a standard $20 for the first visit and if the treatment is ongoing I don't think they charge any more, nor for the dentures. .

Re: A 1 year wait for dentures?

boris1gary — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 00:59:59 GMT

I've always loved victoria, if it wasn't for Hubby's job we would move down there in a heartbeat. Not for the dental care, we don't qualify (yet).

Re: A 1 year wait for dentures?

purple_haize — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 01:19:57 GMT

@bright.ton42 wrote:
In Victoria my local community dental clinic gives you dentures immediately - well a few days taken to make them but you get them very quickly . I've accompanied people who qualify and the clinic is fantastic, state of the art set ups and competent dentists.
I gather that if you go to the main Dental Hospital though there is a long wait.

This clinic costs a standard $20 for the first visit and if the treatment is ongoing I don't think they charge any more, nor for the dentures. .

The Victoria Dental Hospital have a 15 month wait.........however if it is urgent or you are in pain, they will see you before then. Or you can go to one of the Community Dental Clinics that are in most municipalities.

They will see you on the day you ring up or the next day........very good service.

Re: A 1 year wait for dentures?

bright.ton42 — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 01:25:42 GMT

It's funny (and wrong) the way the states differ. they all should be the same in providing good health care.

Re: A 1 year wait for dentures?

purple_haize — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 01:33:13 GMT

I always thought that all states had the plans going where the dr. puts you on a plan for whoever you want to see.

Apparently it is a State thing, and not done by the Federal Govt.

So glad that I live in Victoria, then

Re: A 1 year wait for dentures?

i-need-a-martini — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 01:40:14 GMT

Well it is wrong that anyone should have to wait more than a few weeks for dentures.

I didn't realise...

Anyone know what is happening with the $4bill dental scheme now that the Coalition is in power? (I'm not interested in a Liberal vs labor argument. Just want to know if the scheme is going ahead as I can't find anything on the LIberal Party website)

Re: A 1 year wait for dentures?

**meep** — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 01:46:08 GMT

Martini, unfortunately, that is the norm and has been for many years. 1 year wait would be considered quite reasonable, sadly.....

You will probably find some info here:

http://www.health.gov.au/dental

Re: A 1 year wait for dentures?

purple_haize — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 01:58:02 GMT

In Vic. if you go to the comm. dental place, say you have a toothache and they cant fit you in, they will give you a voucher and a list of dentists that are in the scheme, and you can go to one on the list and all you pay is $25.

My daughter last week, got a letter from govt. saying that her two children aged 9yrs and 3yrs, could have any dental work done over a period of 2 years and there was a voucher for both kids of $1000 each.

Now I dont know if that is for everyone or only for kids that have problems, my daughter is carer to both kids.

Re: A 1 year wait for dentures?

**meep** — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 02:01:34 GMT

it seems that even though teeth play a very important role in a persons general health, they are not considered important by successive govts.

The Chronic Disease Scheme was a good initiative. I know quite a few people who were able to receive desperately needed treatment under the scheme.

Re: A 1 year wait for dentures?

jean2579 — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 02:04:26 GMT

meep, when my OH asked about that, he was told that it no longer operated. Apparently it was very good.